GTA, police close down hostel of 2 kidnapped Canadians

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the police on Tuesday stormed the Ahodwo apartments where the two kidnapped Canadian nationals lodged and locked it.

According to the authority, the facility is not registered and licensed to rent out rooms to the public.

They cited several security breaches including the lack of a security officer at its post and the non availability of CCTV cameras to safeguard persons who patronize the facility.

A notice of closure pasted at the entrance of the facility read, “The public is here by informed that this facility has been closed down for failing to meet the requirement provided under Legislative Instrument LI 2238 and 2239 for Accommodation food beverage and entertainment enterprises.”

The Ashanti region manager of the GTA, Peter Theophilus Acheampong told Ultimate News, “This is the apartment where the two Canadians who were kidnapped, were residing. They have not registered for the license of the Ghana Tourism Authority so they are operating illegally and that’s why we are here to close down this unit.”

“In an apartment of this stature, we expect them to have a security person at post and with CCTV cameras but they don’t; so if you sleep here it’s at your own risk.”

The Authority has scheduled Tuesday June 18 to kick-start a region wide enforcement exercise to clamp down on all illegal facilities in the hospitality industry.